Wheel.



No. 683,58l. Patented (lot. I, I9UI.

F. P. VAUGHAN.

WHEEL.

(Application filed Feb. 21, 1901.)

(No mum 3m: NORRIS PETiRS 60., PHUYBUIHO; wuumarou. 0. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK P. VAUGHAN, OF PERRY, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

WHEEL.

PEC ICA forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,581, dated October 1, 1901. Application filed February 21, 1901. Serial No. 48,360. (No model.)

To all whom it 11mg concern.-

Be it known that LFREDERIOKRVAUGHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Perry, in the county of Noble, Territory of Oklahoma, have invented a new and useful \Vheel, of which the following is a specifica- .tion.

The invention relates to improvements in wheels.

The object of the present invention is to im-- prove the construction of ball-bearin g wheels and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one in which the friction will be reduced to a minimum and which will be adapted to exclude water and in a great measure prevent accumulation of mud.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a wheel constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the construction of the rim of the wheel. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of a portion of the inner bearing-ring. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the rim of the wheel, taken longitudinally thereof.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates a hub designed to be secured to an axle 2 in any suitable manner and connected by spokes 3 with an inner bearing-ring 4, provided with suitable spoke-sockets, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, to receive the outer ends of the spokes; but the latter may be connected with the inner bearing-ring in any suitable manner. The inner bearing-ring is provided at the center of its outer peripheral face with an approximately semicircular bearing-rib 5, extending entirely around the bearing-ring and presenting a rounded or convex bearingface and located equidistant of the side faces of the said innerbearing-ring. The bearingrib 5 may be formed integral with the inner bearing-ring, or it may be constructed separate therefrom, and it forms a bearing-face for the reception of an annular series of antifriction balls 6, interposed between the said inner bearing-ring 4 and an outer bearingring 7, which forms the tread of the wheel. The outer bearing-ring is provided at its inner face with a rib 8, located equidistant of the side faces of the said outer bearing-ring and constructed, like the rib 5, to present a convex or rounded bearing-surface to the antifriction-balls. The outer bearing-ring is provided at its side faces with recessesi), receiving the adjacent portions of parallel side plates 10, which are secured to the outer ring by suitable fastening devices 11, disposed transversely and passing through suitable perforations of the outer bearing-ring and the side plates. The side plates are provided at their inner faces with circular ribs 12, approximately semicircular in cross-section and arranged at opposite sides of the balls and supporting the same, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. By providing the rounded bearing-ribs at the four sides of the balls the contact of the balls with the inner and outer portions of the wheel is reduced to a minimum and is rendered substantially frictionless. The side plates are provided at their inner edges with annular flanges 13, approximately L-shaped in cross-section and extending inward from.

the side plates and located at opposite sides of the spokes and cooperating with a flanged hoop or band 14, which is arranged at the inner face of the inner bearing-ring 4:. The hoop or band 14, which is provided with apertures for the reception of the spokes, has side flanges 16 located contiguous to the inner faces of the side plates and disposed parallel with the inner portions of the inwardlyextending L.-shaped flanges 13. The L-shaped annular flanges of the side plates and the flanged hoop or band form a pair of parallel annular ball-races for the reception of antifriction-balis 17, which enable the parts to move frictionlessly on each other. The balls are securely housed within the annular races, and moisture is excluded therefrom by a suitable packing 18, consisting of a strip of fabric interposed between the flanges of the side plates and the metal strip or ring 19, mounted on the spokes, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. By this construction moisture is effectually prevented from entering the bearing at the inner side of the rim of the wheel, and as the side plates are secured in recesses of the side faces of the outer bearing-ring moisture cannot enter at the tread of the wheel. Also by the particular construction of the side plates and the hoop or band the inner and outer portions of the rim of the wheel are securely interlocked and a structure of great strength is provided.

In order further to reduce the friction, the inner bearing-ring is provided at its side faces with circular grooves 20, forming ballraces, receiving antifriction-balls 21 and provided with a suitable lining, astclearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. The lining of the annular grooves 21 may be constructed of steel or any other suitable material, and the balls 21, which are arranged in annular series, project slightly beyond the side faces of the inner bearing-ring and bear against the inner faces of the side plates. The large balls 6. may be arranged 1n one complete annular series, or they may be separated into sections or series by partitions 22, as indicated in Fig. 1.

It will be apparent that the wheel is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it possesses great strength and durability, and that it is adapted to be applied to all kinds of vehicles, as it reduces the friction to a minimum and is capable of sustainingheavyloads. Furthermore, it will be clear that water is effectually excluded from the interior of the rim and that as the outer faces of the latter are smooth mud will not be liable to adhere and accumulate on the same. It will also be seen that the edges of the side flanges l6 and the Lshaped flanges 13 are held out of contact with the adjacent parts of the antifriction-balls 17 and that the side balls 21 hold the parts against lateral movement and enable the inner bearing-ring and the hoop or band 14 to be spaced from the inner faces of the side plates 10, whereby the parts are adapted to move on each other without friction.

What I claim is 1. A wheel comprising an inner portion provided with an inner bearing-ring, an outer bearing-ring forming the tread of the wheel and provided with sides interlocked with the inner portion of the wheel,and antifriction devices interposed between the inner and outer bearing-rings, substantially as described.

2. A wheel comprising an inner portion having an inner bearing-ring, an outer portion provided with side plates interlocked with the inner portion of the wheel and having flanges forming ball-races, antifriction-balls arranged in the races, and antifriction devices interposed between the inner and outer portions of the wheel and arranged on the inner bearing-rin g,substantially as described.

3. A wheel comprising an inner portion provided with a bearing-ring and having flanges, an outer portion having an outer bearingring and provided with sides having flanges interlocked with the said flanges, whereby the inner and outer portions of the Wheel are connected, said flanges forming ball-races, antifrictionballs arranged in the ball-races, and antifriction devices interposed between the inner and outer bearing-rings, substantially as described.

A. A wheel comprising an inner portion provided with an inner bearing-ring and having a flanged hoop or band arranged at the inner face of the inner bearing-ring, an outer portion provided with an outer bearing-ring and having side plates provided with flanges interlocked with the flanges of the hoop or band, and antifrictiou devices interposed between said flanges and between the inner and outer bearing-rings, substantially as described.

5. A Wheel comprising an inner portion having an inner bearing-ring and provided with a hoop or band having annular side flanges, said inner portion being also provided with centrally-arranged spokes extending through the hoop or band into the inner bearing-ring, the outer portion having, an outer bearingring and provided with sides having inner annular flanges, approximately L-shaped in cross-section and located at opposite sides of the spokes and interlocked with the hoop or band, and antifriction devices interposed between the flanges and between theinner and outer bearing rings, substantially as described.

6. A wheel comprising an inner bearingring provided at its sides with annular grooves, a hoop or band arranged at the inner face of the inner bearing-ring and provided with side flanges, an outer bearingring, side plates secured to the outer bearing-ring and provided at their inner edges with annular flanges interlocked with the hoop or band and spaced apart, antifrictionballs interposed between the flanges and between the inner and outer bearing-rings and arranged in the annular grooves of the inner bearing ring, spokes located between the flanges of the side plates, a continuous strip covering the space between the side plates and provided with openings to receive the spokes, and a packing interposed between the continuous strip and the flanges of the side plates, substantially as described.

'In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

FREDERICK P. VAUGHAN.

Witnesses:

W. T. SMITH, ENos P. CURRY. 

